The red grape variety originates from historic Lower Styria in what is now north-eastern Slovenia. There are about 120 synonyms indicating great age and wide distribution. Some grouped alphabetically by country are Gamé(Bulgaria); Blauer Lemberger, Blauer Limberger, Blaufranchis, Hartig 353, Lemberger, Limberger (Germany); Franconien Bleu, Franconien Noir, Franconim Noir, Limberger Noir, Limberqer (France); Franconia, Franconia Nera, Franconia Nero (Italy); Borgonja, Frankovka, Frankovka Cerna, Frankovka Crna, Frankovka Modrá(Croatia); Burgundy, Early Black, Early Black, Great Burgundy, Karmazin, Moravian, Moravian Black, Moravian Black Karmazin, Moravian Grape, Black Franconian, Black Franconian, Black Grobe (Austria); Borgona (Peru); Burgundy Mare (Romania); Sura Lisicina (Serbia); Frankovka Modrá (Slovakia); Modra Frankinja (Slovenia); Frankovka (Czech Republic); Kékfrankos, Nagyburgundi, Szeleslevelü,(Hungary), Blue Franc, Blue French, Lemberger, Limberger Black, The Wide-Leafed (USA).
According to legend, Emperor Charlemagne (742-814) was involved in its creation by ordering the "good Franconian varieties to be separated from the bad Heunian varieties". The Blaufränkisch may have developed from this selection of the "valuable, Franconian material". In the area of the Austrian provinces of Lower Austria and Burgenland, preliminary stages were possibly already widespread in the 10th century. According to an unverifiable legend, the Blaufränkisch was only brought to Austria in 1735 by Duke Franz Stephan of Lorraine (1708-1765), husband of Maria Theresia (1717-1780). In 1777, the ampelographer Dr. Sebastian Helbling counted it among the best red wine varieties in Lower Austria in his "Beschreibung der in der Wiener Gegend gemeinen Weintrauben-Arten" as "Schwarze Fränkische".
In the middle of the 19th century, it finally became native to Germany under the names Limberger or Lemberger. From Lemberg in what was then Lower Styria (today Slovenia), vine material was exported to Germany in 1877 as "Lembergerreben". The second synonym Limberger refers to the small village of Limberg near Maissau (Lower Austria), where towards the end of the 19th century "ungrafted Limberger Blaufränkisch vines" were also marketed. The current name Blaufränkisch only became common towards the end of the 19th century. As early as 1875, international agreement had been reached on this designation, but this was then not realised, especially in Germany.
Due to its similar wine aromas, the vine is also called "Pinot Noir of the East", which is why it was assumed for a long time that it was the parent of Pinot. According to DNA analyses carried out in 2016, it is a presumably natural cross between Blue Cinnamon Grape x Gouais Blanc (White Heunish). However, further DNA analyses did not confirm the parent variety, which is unknown. The variety was a crossing partner of the new varieties Acolon, André, Bíborfrankos, Blauburger, Heroldrebe, Laurot, Rathay, Reberger, Roesler, Rubintos, Seifert, Táltos and Zweigelt.
The late-ripening vine is susceptible to powdery and downy mildew as well as stem rot. It requires a relatively warm climate and tends to bloom in cool weather coulure. The variety produces finely acidic, tannic red wines with a ruby-red colour and diverse aromas of dark cherries, blackberries, herbs and mint. These have excellent storage potential and are also excellently suited for barrique age ing.
In Austria, the variety occupies 3,009 hectares of vineyards; mainly in Burgenland. The importance of the variety in Austria is also reflected in its use as the lead variety in several Burgenland DAC wines; these are Eisenberg, Leithaberg and the Mittelburgenland, also known as "Blaufränkischland". In Germany, 1,912 hectares are planted under the names Limberger or Lemberger, with a slight upward trend, 1,760 of them in the Württemberg growing region.
Other stocks in Europe are found in Italy, mainly in Friuli (28 ha), Croatia (521 ha), Romania (729 ha), Serbia (727 ha), Slovakia (1,216 ha), Switzerland (4 ha), Slovenia (709 ha), the Czech Republic (1,143 ha) and in Hungary (7,260 ha) even as the most common variety. Overseas, it is present in Australia (1 ha), Japan, Canada (5 ha), Peru (290 ha), and USA (3 ha) in the states of New York and Washington. In 2016, it occupied a total of 17,180 hectares of vineyards, with a constant trend. This puts it in 48th place in the global grape variety ranking (Kym Anderson statistics).
Source: Wine Grapes / J. Robinson, J. Harding, J. Vouillamoz / Penguin Books Ltd. 2012.
Images: Ursula Brühl, Doris Schneider, Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI)
